266 THE KITE. 



" One would naturally imagine that the moment the 

 hawk found itself wounded, it would take to flight; but 

 this is not the case. It would seem, indeed, to attribute 

 the pain it suffers to the resistance made by the supposed 

 bird ; for it labours incessantly to thrust its talons deeper 

 into the Bulvan, which has the effect of driving the steel 

 still farther into its body. When, however, the increasing 

 anguish at length obliges it to extricate itself, it can only 

 succeed in so doing with a mangled maw, and with such a 

 loss of blood as soon causes it to perish. 



" This invention, which I myself have tried with success," 

 M. Wulf goes on to say, " is not mine. For the knowledge 

 of it I am indebted to one of my parishioners the Inspector, 

 M. Forssberger, a very skilful sportsman. By this simple 

 means, his poultry-yard has for several years been protected 

 from the goshawk, and the attempts that the bird has made 

 have always been fatal to it." 



The Sparrow-Hawk (Sparf-Hok, or Sparrow-Hawk, Sw. ; 

 Accipiter fringillarius, Will.) was very common, as well in 

 my neighbourhood as throughout Scandinavia generally. 

 Migrates partially. 



The Kite (Glada, Sw. ; Milvus Ictinus, Sav.) ; pretty 

 numerous with us, and also in the midland and southern 

 provinces of Sweden; but is said not to be found in the 

 more northern parts of the peninsula. 



These birds take their leave of Sweden in the months 

 of September and October, and return in March. Their 

 appearance at an early period of the spring is looked 

 upon as a good omen ; the peasants then considering the 

 winter to be at an end. When their flight is high, more- 

 over, they augur that the weather will be fine, but if low, 



